Skiing at Crystal Mountain

Crystal Mountain is a world class ski resort, rated by SKIING magazine as the #7 ski resort in North America. Experienced skiers are drawn to the expert runs comprising nearly half of the terrain and the 1,000 acres of skiable backcountry areas.

For Immediate Release-_-_
Superintendent Randy King has announced that the Comet Falls Trail has been temporarily closed to public use 1 mile beyond the trailhead, due to an extremely hazardous condition on the trail. A substantial washout, approximately 10 ft. across and 30 ft. deep, made worse with the recent rains over the past several weeks, has created unstable conditions which has undermined the trail approximately 1 mile in from the trailhead. Snow and ice in the area of the washout adds to the hazard, especially if a hiker were to attempt to walk around the washout. It should also be noted that snow and ice conditions all along the trail are hazardous to travel even before getting to the washout area. Next week, it is anticipated that the park trail crew will access this area to begin building a safe route around the washout. Public notice will be given when the trail is again open for hiking.

Hikers in Mount Rainier should be aware that late snow and ice from the winter still persists on trails at the park’s higher elevations. Hikers need to use caution and good judgment as steep slopes covered with snow and ice will be very slippery or unstable, and streams and rivers are running fast and high as runoff is occurring at its maximum levels. Also, as the winter snow melts back, trail damage, washed out bridges, or other unknown hazards may be uncovered before park crews can repair them.

Check the park website, or contact Park Rangers to get information on current trail conditions before hiking in the park.

You can connect to Mount Rainier National Park through our social media pages. Join the Mount Rainier community on Facebook, find out breaking news and road status updates through Mount Rainier’s Twitter feed, explore the park and behind-the-scenes operations with our videos on YouTube, and share your own photos of Mount Rainier with other visitors in the Mount Rainier Flickr group.